Paint cart assembly and method of fabrication

ABSTRACT

Presented is a paint cart assembly and a method of fabrication of the paint cart which reduces the initial cost of fabrication and assembly and when assembled, provides a disposable liner which precludes the necessity for cleanup of the paint cart after use.

[111 3,752,494 [451 Aug. 14, 1973 United States Patent 1191 Dunn I 5 6 6 o o n u 7B7M7BM7 xmxixvifl 0 5 5 W H WWH .5 .8 m W m m n n ot m m a t: .nrl efl w m k c mmmm .w ERM P. HW 28 528 366- 66 mwwwmmww wwwwuwum 665 46.74 mfimfifiw 44284045 787 2 mn v vfln 32223233 F 0 n m o w m M. E M M 3 7 m m A Y mt m w E e s y 2 N 1 N n W TO 3 n. S J A CC P" T m N n d In C 6 AA v H PF h F 1] 1 1 4 6 2 5 7 2 [21] Appl. No.: 161,592

It bs m m m d. on m e e mm a m hm mu n W m ma IN P Cb n mc m a mm s w v M m m a c M m a mi ma m n P mm 8 an .m m .w E k m0 n n mm m m m m 1 w: n n m w m FAA P fl 50 8 45 maze. H 77 0 .045 2 20 2 67M/4 3 H 6 3 0 7:5 421 7 5 w? H 2 ,H 5 .3 1 u we mn7 u m W 1. "W33 m m M .0 m 7 n 14R m 6 m2 m m 7 2 mm L me oo m a m M 2 U MW. 1 1] 2 8 .5 55

v 5 References Cited of fabrication and assembly and when assembled, pro- .UNITED STATES PATENTS Pmmde i-" vides a disposable liner which for cleanup of the paint cart after use. 5/1959 Serwer..........................

8 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDAus 14 I975 3.752.494

' sum 1 or 4 INVENTOR. KIRKLEY J. DUNN PATENIEUAU; 14 ms 3; 752.494 SHEEI 2 0F 4 I i A .11

| Winn) ml INVENTQR KIRKLEY J. DUNN PAIENIElImums 3.752.494

SHEEI 3 0f 4 INVENTOR.

KIRKLEY J. DUNN PATENTEDMIG 14 E875 SHEEI t 0F 4 mvsw'rox. KIRKLEY J. DUNN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In view of the upwardly spiraling cost of labor, it is important that service type jobs requiring expenditure of labor be completed in minimum time so that the overall cost of a job may be kept within permissible economic limits. One of the ways in which this may be done is to increase the convenience of tools used by the worker. Another way in which this may be accomplished is to reduce the cost of the equipment and tools required to perform a given job. Thus, as applied to a painter whose job is to paint as large an area as possible in the shortest possible time, anything that can be done to help the painter to apply paint at a faster rate will shorten the overall time within which a job can be completed. Additionally, if the cost of the equipment required by the painter may be reduced, and if that equipment incorporates disposable items which precludes the expenditure of cleanup time after the job is completed, it will be apparent that a reduction of the overall cost of the job will result.

It is common knowledge that to a large extent, socalled paint rollers are replacing the use of paint brushes for applying paint to broad flat wall surfaces. In the trade, it is customary that such rollers be used in conjunction with a paint tray which is conventionally carried about by the painter as he moves about the room. The necessity of continually picking up the conventional paint tray, supporting it either on the floor or on an appropriate shelf or ladder, leads to spills of paint which are not only destructive of the property being painted, but which require considerable time for effective cleaning. Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a paint cart assembly which may be supported continuously on the floor and which may be pulled into position by the painter without lifting it from the floor It has become common practice for painters to utilize a shallow portable floor-supported tray in conjunction with a paint roller having a short handle adapted to be hand held and worked over the surfaces to be painted. The combination of a hand-held roller with a short handle and a shallow paint tray requires stooping and bending by the painter, and frequently results in the paint-loaded roller dripping paint on the floor.

I have found that it ismore expedient, saves time, and requires less physical exertion by a painter if the paint tray is converted into a rollable cart that is liquid tight to form a container for the paint. The frame of the paint roller is designed to cooperate with the cart in such a manner that it may be hooked to a cooperating means on the cart so that the roller frame itself may be used to manipulate the cart into an advantageous position with respect to the surfaces being painted and the position where the painter is standing. Such a special roller frame is preferably equipped with an extension handle so that the painter need not bend or stoop to load the roller with paint.

The design of such a roller frame is disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 59,603 owned by the inventor herein. It is a further object of this invention to disclose improvements on paint carts of the type disclosed in the noted application, the improvements relating to a paint cart fabricated from sheet material which has been appropriately folded to form a liquid impervious container and to which has been added a frame and a set of supporting wheels.

A paint cart of the type illustrated herein is generally bulky when in assembled condition. Accordingly, it is another object of the invention to provide a paint cart which may be shipped to the ultimate consumer in knocked-down condition for assembly by the consumer, thus saving a great deal of shipping space and attendant cost.

Although the paint cart of the invention constitutes a disposable assembly, it is advantageous that it be sufficiently sturdy to be used continuously for at least three or four days without the necessity of cleaning the cart between periods of use. Accordingly, it is a still further object of the invention to provide a paint cart incorporating a flexible fluid-tight liner impervious to paints and the solvents used with paints, and which may be disposed of after each use at very little cost.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION In terms of broad inclusion, the paint cart assembly of the invention comprises a hollow shell formed from an initially flat sheet of material, folded so that when supported on an appropriate frame to which it is easily attachable and detachable, the hollow shell will be ratained on a supporting surface such as the floor in an attitude of use. A flexible liner is formed to be conformably draped within the hollow of the shell so that the liner contains the liquid poured into the cart, while the shell merely supports the liner and contained paint. In another aspect of the invention, the container itself may be fabricated from material such as waxed fibreboard that is itself impervious to paint.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the paint cart assembly of the invention in an attitude of use.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the underside of the paint cart assembly illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the method of reinforcing the forward edge of the container.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the paint cart assembly. The manner in which the container shell is inserted in the frame is indicated in broken lines. A portion of the structure is broken away to reveal the underlying parts. FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the paint cart assembly.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail view in perspective illustrating the manner of attachment of the frame to the underside of the container shell.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing both halves of the fastening element for retaining the wheel axle fixed to the paint cart frame.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view illustrating the retention cap for retainig the wheels on the axle.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the flat blank from which the paint cart container shell is fabricated.

FIG. 9 is a view of the flat blank folded up along score lines running parallel to its longitudinal edges to form the sides of the paint cart container shell.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 but showing the blank folded up along the rear edge thereof to form the,

rear wall of the paint cart container shell.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the container blank folded to provide a tab lying against the back wall of the paint cart container shell.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the completely folded and formed paint cart container shell.

FIG. 13 is an exploded view in perspective illustrating the various parts of the paint cart assembly.

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating a different embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view of the paint cart illustrated in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a modified fastening element for fastening the frame members to the axle.

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 17-17 in FIG. 15.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, the paint cart assembly of the invention is designated generally by the numeral 2, and is comprised of a shell or tub 3, formed from a single flat sheet 4 having parallel and longitudinally extending score lines 6 and 7, intercepted adjacent the end edge 8 by a transversely extending score line 9. It has been found that satisfactory results may be secured when the sheet 4 is formed from relatively hard so-called pasteboard or cardboard having a thickness of about onesixteenth inch. Score line extensions 12 and 13 are intercepted by the lateral edges 14 and 16, respectively, so that side panels 17 and 18 are defined by the associated score lines 6-7, 1243, and the lateral edges 14 and 16. As indicated in FIG. 8, these side panels 17 and 18 are triangular in configuration with the side panel 17 being integral with a corner panel 19 and separated therefrom only by the score line 12, while the side panel 18 is integral with the corner tab or panel 21, and I is separated therefrom only by the score line extension 13.

Corner panels 19 and 21 form the extreme end portions of a transversely extending rectangular plate or end wall portion 22 provided on the underside as viewed in FIG. 8 by dash lines with score lines 23 and 24. The score line 23 is in alignment with the score line 6, but on the opposite side of the sheet 4, while the score line 24 is in alignment with the score line 7 and on the opposite side of the sheet 4 therefrom. Each of the corner panels 19 and 21 is also provided with a diagonally extending score line 26 and 27, respectively, these score lines permitting folding of each of the corner tabs 19 and 21 as illustrated in FIG. 10.

It will thus be seen that the score lines 6, 7 and 9 define a bottom wall 28 that forms the bottom of the tub. When the sheet 4 is folded as illustrated in FIG. 12, the end tabs 19 and 21 are folded inwardly as illustrated and tacked to the back panel 22 by a plurality of staples or other fastening means 29.

The tub or shell so formed is mounted on a support frame designated generally by the numeral 31, and comprising a pair of identical wire or rod members 32 and 33, each bent upwardly at one end to provide an upstanding forward section 34 provided at its upper end with a return bend 36 to provide a lock portion 37, the extreme end 38 of which is curved outwardly so that the upper edge 8 of the tub may be engaged under the lock portion as illustrated in FIG. 3. Each of the frame members 32 and 33 is also provided with a horizontally extending support section 39, extending at substantially a right angle to the upwardly projecting portions 34. Each of the horizontal support sections 39 merges integrally with a downwardly extending leg portion 41 the lower end of which is provided with a bend 42 adapted to be supported on the floor and which merges smoothly into an upwardly projecting support leg 43. At its upper end, each support leg 43 is provided with a generally horizontal U-shaped end portion 44 the extreme end 46 of which is bent upwardly as shown to facilitate entry of the forward leading edge 47 of the tub into the U-shaped portion 44.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4 and 13, the frame 31 is provided with a transversely extending support axle 47 having support wheels 48 on each end thereof. Union is made between the horizontal support section 39 of each of the rods 32 and 33 and the transversely extending axle 47 by a pair of identical plates 49 (FIG. 6). Each of the plates 49 is provided with a diametrically extending groove 51 proportioned to accommodate on the one hand the transversely extending axle 47 and on the other hand the perpendicularly extending rod portion 39 forming the horizontal section of the support frame. When applied as illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 13, it will be seen that the axle 47 and frame members are held in tight perpendicular relationship, whereupon the facing abutting surfaces of the plates 49 may be provided with a small amount of adhesive to retain the keepers in position.

In order to lend stability to the free end 51 of the tub, the underside of the floor 28 of the tub is provided with a relatively thick reinforcing member 52 (FIGS. 2 and 3) attached to the underside of the panel 28 by appropriate staples or other fastening means. The leading edge 53 of the reinforcing member is provided with a pair of spaced notches 54, adapted to receive a portion of each of the rods 32 adjacent the U-shaped end 44 thereof, to prevent transverse displacement of each of the rod members adjacent its end. The reinforcing member 52 is also provided with a pair of bores, as illustrated in FIG. 2, into which project the ends of a wire handle member 56. The handle is proportioned so that it may be grasped either by the fingers and the cart pulled along, or by an appropriately configured roller frame as described and claimed in my above noted copending application.

Thus formed, the paint cart assembly of the invention is capable of containing approximately 2 gallons of paint, so that a maximum amount of paint may be spread in minimum time. In order to render the tub fluid proof, a plastic liner 57 is formed to fit into the interior of the tub and provide marginal portions 58 draped over the top edges and locked thereto by the overhanging U-shaped lock portions 37 at the rear of the cart and 44 at the front of the cart. It will thus be seen that in this manner, the liner renders the rub completely impervious to paint poured into the tub. When painting has been completed, the liner may be easily removed from the tub and disposed of without the need of cleaning or washing. In most instances, it has been found that the liner keeps the tub completely clean, so that no cleaning of the tub is required.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, it is helpful in distributing paint evenly over a roller to provide a corrugated member designated generally by the numeral 59 upon which the roller may be rolled prior to application to a wall. It has been found that this corrugated section may be merely laid on the bottom 28 of the tub, but where desired, the forward leading edge 61 may be tucked under the U-shaped lock section 44 of the frame so as to retain the corrugated member securely in position. The opposite end of the corrugated member is provided with an upstanding flange 62 adapted to abut against the end of the tub panel 22.

Illustrated in FIGS. 14 through 17, is a different embodiment of the invention, utilizing an identical shell or tub as illustrated in FIG. 1, but incorporating a modified frame 31'. The modified frame is formed from one continuous length of wire formed by a transversely extending handle portion 65 integral with longitudinally extending mounting portions 66 and 66, the mounting portions merging integrally with a downwardly depending leg portion 67 bent at 68 to provide a return support leg 69 which in turn merges integrally with the tub or shell support portion 71 underlying and attached to the underside of the tub in a manner to be hereinafter explained.

Each of the mounting portions 71 extends beyond the rear wall 8 of the shell to provide brace portions 72, constituting cantilever extensions of the frame, which function to prevent the paint cart from tipping over backwards when the forward end of the paint cart is lifted to move the cart about. The frame is detachably secured to the bottom wall of the shell by a pair of cleats 73 and 74, the cleat 73 being appropriately stapled or otherwise fastened to the underside of the shell adjacent the rear wall 8, and being provided with an elongated groove 76 extending the full length of the cleat and within which' is contained the axle 47. Closely adjacent each opposite end of the cleat, the axle perpendicularly overlies the associated frame member 71 and is rotatably secured thereto by a fastener 77 as shown.

As illustrated in FIG. 16, the fastener comprises a plate, preferably formed from metal, provided with a central aperture 78, and transversely extending channels 79 and 81 formed at right angles to each other and having their axes lying on opposite sides of the plate. Each channel is formed by drawing axially aligned portions of the plate to form beads which define a channel. It will thus be seen that by slipping the fastener plate under the frame members 71 so that the frame member lies in channel 79, the channel 81 is oriented so that its longitudinal axis extends in the same direction as the axle 47, and accommodates that axle so that the axle lies in superposed relationship over the associated frame member and is held in this relationship by the fastener plate. Suitable means such as spot welding or ,staking may be utilized to retain the plate immovable with respect to the longitudinal axis of the frame member 71 on which it is mounted. It has been found that from a practical point of view, it is most economical if the wheels 48 are pressed on axle 47, thus necessitating that the axle be journaled in the fastener plate so as to enable rotation of the wheels when the cart is pulled about.

At the forward end of the cart, the cleat 74 is provided with a pair of transversely extending grooves 82 into which the associated portion of the frame is crowded by forcing it between the end of the cleat and the underside of the shell or tub. The shell possesses sufficient resilience to retain the frame caught in the groove.

It will thus be seen that the support frame has been fashioned from a single piece of elongated rod material which when attached to the underside of the paint cart,

lies immovable in relation thereto by virtue of the fact that it is caught at one end by its immovable relationship with the axle, which in turn is caught in the groove 76 of cleat 73, thus preventing rearward movement of the frame toward the rear wall of the shell, while at the forward end of the paint cart, the bight formed between the-downwardly projecting leg 67 and the mounting portion 66 of the frame is caught against the edge of cleat 74, thus preventing movement of the frame toward the right with respect to the shell, as viewed in FIG. 14. Additionally, cantilever extensions 72 insure against tipping of the cart to such a degree that the paint contained therein will spill over the back wall, in the event that a careless user lifts the front end of the cart beyond a proper height.

It will thus be seen that with each embodiment, a paint cart assembly is provided that may be easily shipped or delivered to the ultimate user in knockeddown condition for assembly upon receipt, thus affording a considerable saving for the ultimate purchaser.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed to be novel and sought to be protected by letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A paint cart assembly for containing paint to be spread with a paint roller comprising:

a. a container having a pair of spaced side walls, a

bottom wall having lateral extremities joining corresponding extremities of the side walls and provided with a front edge and an end wall joining said side walls and said bottom wall and provided with a top edge;

b. a support frame including resilient lock members adapted to releasably engage said front edge of the bottom wall and the top edge of said end wall of said container; and

c. a pair of wheels fixed to said support frame adjacent the end thereof associated with the end wall of said container for rollably supporting said container and support frame on a supporting surface and cooperating with said frame to orient the bottom wall of the container in relation to said supporting surface in a downwardly inclined attitude from the front edge thereof to said end wall. 2. The combination according to claim 1, in which axle means are provided attached to said support frame, and said pair of wheels are journaled on said axle.

3. The combination according to claim 1, in which a flexible liner impervious to paint and the solvents and thinners therefor is detachably draped within said container and removably retained therein by said resilient lock members.

4. The combination according to claim 1, in which said container is fabricated from a single initially flat sheet of material impervious to paint and the solvents and thinners used therewith, and said single initially flat sheet of material is provided with parallel front and rear edges, said rear edge being of greater length than said front edge, a pair of laterally spaced side edges portions of which are divergent from said front edge and the remaining portions thereof being perpendicular to said front and rear edges, and a plurality of score lines extending longitudinally, transversely and diagonally across said sheet whereby lateral side portions of said sheet are folded up along a longitudinally extend-' ing pair of said score lines to form the side walls ofsaid container and a rectangular portion of said sheet adjacent said rear edge is folded up along selected ones of said score lines to form the rear wall of said container.

5. The combination according to claim 4, in which a flexible liner is provided conforming to the interior configuration of said container.

6. A paint cart assembly for containing paint to be spread with a paint roller comprising:

a. a container having an end, bottom and side walls for containing paint to be spread;

b. a support frame underlying said container, and provided with cantilever extensions projecting beyond said end wall at one end of the container and support legs extending substantially perpendicularly to said cantilever extensions for supporting the bottom wall of said container in a downwardly inclined attitude from one end thereof to the other; and

c. a pair of wheels for rollably supporting said container and support frame on a supporting surface, the axis of rotation of said wheels being below said container.

7. The combination according to claim 6, in which said frame is formed from a single piece of rod and includes a handle portion extending beyond the end of the container opposite said cantilever extensions of the frame.

8. A paint cart assembly for containing paint to be spread with a paint roller comprising:

a. a container having an end, bottom and side walls for containing paint to be spread;

b. a support frame underlying said container, and

provided with cantilever extensions projecting beyond said end wall at one end of the container and support legs extending substantially perpendicularly to said cantilever extensions for supporting the bottom wall of said container in a downwardly inclined attitude from one end thereof to the other;

c. a pair of wheels for rollably supporting said container and support frame on a supporting surface;

d. a pair of cleats fastened to the bottom wall of said container, portions of said frame being caught between one of said cleats and the bottom wall of the container;

e. axle means caught beneath the other cleat of the pair and overlying associated portions of the frame; and

f. fastener means interposed between said axle means and the associated portions of said frame to secure the axle to the associated portion of the frame.

ii I It l 

1. A paint cart assembly for containing paint to be spread with a paint roller comprising: a. a container having a pair of spaced side walls, a bottom wall having lateral extremities joining corresponding extremities of the side walls and provided with a front edge and an end wall joining said side walls and said bottom wall and provided with a top edge; b. a support frame including resilient lock members adapted to releasably engage said front edge of the bottom wall and the top edge of said end wall of said container; and c. a pair of wheels fixed to said support frame adjacent the end thereof associated with the end wall of said container for rollably supporting said container and support frame on a supporting surfAce and cooperating with said frame to orient the bottom wall of the container in relation to said supporting surface in a downwardly inclined attitude from the front edge thereof to said end wall.
 2. The combination according to claim 1, in which axle means are provided attached to said support frame, and said pair of wheels are journaled on said axle.
 3. The combination according to claim 1, in which a flexible liner impervious to paint and the solvents and thinners therefor is detachably draped within said container and removably retained therein by said resilient lock members.
 4. The combination according to claim 1, in which said container is fabricated from a single initially flat sheet of material impervious to paint and the solvents and thinners used therewith, and said single initially flat sheet of material is provided with parallel front and rear edges, said rear edge being of greater length than said front edge, a pair of laterally spaced side edges portions of which are divergent from said front edge and the remaining portions thereof being perpendicular to said front and rear edges, and a plurality of score lines extending longitudinally, transversely and diagonally across said sheet whereby lateral side portions of said sheet are folded up along a longitudinally extending pair of said score lines to form the side walls of said container and a rectangular portion of said sheet adjacent said rear edge is folded up along selected ones of said score lines to form the rear wall of said container.
 5. The combination according to claim 4, in which a flexible liner is provided conforming to the interior configuration of said container.
 6. A paint cart assembly for containing paint to be spread with a paint roller comprising: a. a container having an end, bottom and side walls for containing paint to be spread; b. a support frame underlying said container, and provided with cantilever extensions projecting beyond said end wall at one end of the container and support legs extending substantially perpendicularly to said cantilever extensions for supporting the bottom wall of said container in a downwardly inclined attitude from one end thereof to the other; and c. a pair of wheels for rollably supporting said container and support frame on a supporting surface, the axis of rotation of said wheels being below said container.
 7. The combination according to claim 6, in which said frame is formed from a single piece of rod and includes a handle portion extending beyond the end of the container opposite said cantilever extensions of the frame.
 8. A paint cart assembly for containing paint to be spread with a paint roller comprising: a. a container having an end, bottom and side walls for containing paint to be spread; b. a support frame underlying said container, and provided with cantilever extensions projecting beyond said end wall at one end of the container and support legs extending substantially perpendicularly to said cantilever extensions for supporting the bottom wall of said container in a downwardly inclined attitude from one end thereof to the other; c. a pair of wheels for rollably supporting said container and support frame on a supporting surface; d. a pair of cleats fastened to the bottom wall of said container, portions of said frame being caught between one of said cleats and the bottom wall of the container; e. axle means caught beneath the other cleat of the pair and overlying associated portions of the frame; and f. fastener means interposed between said axle means and the associated portions of said frame to secure the axle to the associated portion of the frame. 